Grapes trampled at Mackinaw vineyard

Sisters Phyl Drake, 64, and Doreen Seitz, 69, of East Peoria linked arms and stomped a choreographed stomp. The duo wore matching T-shirts, shorts and beads dotted with fake grapes to the Grape Stomp and Harvest Festival at Mackinaw Valley Vineyard and Winery on Sunday.

"We change it a little every year, and this year we improvised and brought our own umbrellas and sang, 'Rain rain go away/Today is stomping day,'" Drake said.

NONA TEPPER

Sisters Phyl Drake, 64, and Doreen Seitz, 69, of East Peoria linked arms and stomped a choreographed stomp. The duo wore matching T-shirts, shorts and beads dotted with fake grapes to the Grape Stomp and Harvest Festival at Mackinaw Valley Vineyard and Winery on Sunday.

"We change it a little every year, and this year we improvised and brought our own umbrellas and sang, 'Rain rain go away/Today is stomping day,'" Drake said.

The sisters were among the more than 500 visitors to the stomp, many of whom joined the duo in stomping about 1,000 pounds worth of grapes to popular classic rock music. Stomp winners were judged by applause, crowd approval and best show.

But, vineyard owner Paul Hahn, dressed in a white toga, purple wreath and wooden staff, had the final say.

"I like meeting people, and I enjoy making something that everyone enjoys," he said. "And I don't mean just the wine, I mean the experience."

Hahn said Sunday's festival was a last hurrah to the summer growing season. Aside from the two vats of slowly fermenting grapes, the festival also featured live music by The Shake, and an "I Love Lucy" look-alike contest for those 12 and younger. A "Winemaker's IV Caribbean Cruise" raffle was also held to benefit the Tazewell County Children's Advocacy Center, a facility that supports victims of domestic abuse.

Hahn estimated the raffle generated more than $800.

After the raffle, attention was dedicated fully toward the grape stomp - the products of which will not be featured in any Mackinaw Valley wines.

Carly Mitzelfelt, 21, of Pekin worked the stomp sign-up sheet. She estimated more than 100 guests willingly waded ankle deep into vats full of green grapes, pre-and-post stomped.

Stan Loyd, 52, of Auburn entered the vat with his wife, Pam. The couple danced around, and Loyd described his experience as "fun, but kind of mushy," especially when he fell at the music's end. He pointed to his wife and claimed he fell so she wouldn't.

After the Loyds, two young girls entered the vat. They danced and stomped to popular songs from yesteryear.

"There's everybody here, young and old," Hahn said. "A lot of people say the wine market is the 50-and-older crowd, but it's not. This is a family event. Most people don't associate wineries as for families, but this is."

Nona Tepper can be reached at 686-3251 or ntepper@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @ntepper90.